New York Yankees All-Star lefty Nestor Cortez was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday with a left groin strain.
The move was retroactive to Monday. The 27-year-old Cuban has a 9-4 record, a 2.68 ERA in 23 starts and a career-best 131 innings this season. He’s 0-1 in four starts this month.
The AL East leaders also brought slugger Giancarlo Stanton back from the 10-day injured list after being sidelined with left Achilles tendonitis. He was in the line-up as the designated hitter and his third hitter at the start of his four-game series in Oakland on Thursday night.
Stanton will likely be the DH for a few games at first as he prepares to return to the outfield. Manager Aaron Boone said the Yankees are relying on word that Stanton is ready to play again.
“Just listening to him. He knows himself very well,” Boone said. “I’m really excited to have him back.”
Cortez is looking to help the Yankees prepare for a stretch run in September. New York acquired right-hander Frankie Montas from Oakland at the trade deadline to bolster its starting lineup.
“If there’s ever a time for that to happen, rather than the playoffs or mid-September or late September into October, I think it’s now,” Cortez said. “When the playoffs come around, I have to take care of my body so that I can be one of the players.”
Cortez felt uncomfortable with the push-off leg early in Sunday’s game against Toronto and pitched through it, lapping the area in the final three innings of six. We hope to contribute to the week and the playoffs.
Cortez had a limp after the start, and he had an MRI to determine the severity of his injury. He hurt his leg on his second pitch or his third pitch of the match, but “didn’t think it was that big of a problem during the game.”
“I could have gotten over it. I could have gotten worse,” he said.
Cortez played right catches at the Oakland Coliseum from 100-120 feet and made 30-40 throws.
A bullpen could occur in the next few days.
“I think 15 days is enough,” he said. “I’m in pretty good shape, so I don’t think I’ll have any problems along the way.”
New York has moved outfielder Harrison Bader to the 60-day injured list with plantar fasciitis in his right leg.
The Yankees signed right-handed Greg Weissart to a major league contract and selected him to their 26-man roster from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“He’s going to get a few chances. He’ll be in the mix, we really like him,” Boone said. And after having a great year, I reached triple A last year and had an amazing year this year. , but he sort of kicked it.”